Is the Closing of Six Flags America a Sign of Things to Come for the Theme Park Industry?

/ printingddd / Leave a comment
Entrance to Six Flags America
Entrance to Six Flags America

Six Flags America is closed, likely forever, unless the land is bought by a group who intends to reopen it, which seems unlikely. There have already been reports of trains from Professor Screamore’s SkyWinder being moved to Canada’s Wonderland for their Vekoma SLC Flight Deck, so it appears the dismantling is underway. Six Flags also announced on an earnings call its intention to divest other “non-core” parks, but it is yet to be seen if these sales will be to another operator or result in closure with the land seeing other uses. A closure is often in the best interest of a seller in order to drive business to their other parks nearby. National news gave lots of coverage to the Six Flags America closure, laying part of the blame on a “sluggish economy that’s hit Six Flags’ core middle-class customers particularly hard”. So what does this mean for the industry going forward?

Continue reading →

Universal Orlando Announces 2026 Military Freedom Pass Offering a $220 Annual Pass!

/ printingddd / Leave a comment
Universal CityWalk Orlando

If you are active duty or retired military or a department of defense civilian employee you can get a Universal Orlando Resort Annual Pass incredibly cheaply. The pass is called the Military Freedom Pass and it starts at just $220 (compared to the cheapest standard pass at $425). You can choose From 2-Park or 3-Park options where Volcano Bay is added as the 3rd park. Keep in mind that no Universal annual pass currently gets you into Epic Universe, but more on that later. This is quite the bargain when a single day ticket starts at $119, so for less than the cost of 2 days you get the whole year.

Continue reading →

Minifigure Speedway Roller Coaster Coming to LEGOLAND Billund Resort

/ printingddd / Leave a comment
Minifigure Speedway Windsor

Minifigure Speedway Windsor (Courtesy of LegoLand)

LEGOLAND Billund Resort is opening a new roller coaster in 2026 (or actually two credits due to the two tracks and dueling nature) called Minifigure Speedway. The attraction is already open at LEGOLAND Windsor Resort, where the picture above is from, and features a duelling element with each team having their own minifigure captain. The ride will be located between Knights’ Kingdom and Adventure Land at a height of ~50 feet and is being built on the site of the former Vikings River Splash. This is a “shuttle” style coaster manufactured by Zierer, so the fact it experiences the layout both forwards and backwards makes the most use of the 843 feet of track.

Continue reading →

The TEA Rankings are Out of for the Top 25 Theme Parks Worldwide and Almost Half are in Asia

/ printingddd / Leave a comment
Super Nintendo World Sign at Universal Studios Japan
Super Nintendo World Sign at Universal Studios Japan

The Themed Entertainment Association (TEA) is a international non-profitwho releases a free annual report about the leisure and travel sectors including the theme park industry. The 2024 TEA Global Experience Index™ is out and the results show that Asia is a growing theme park powerhouse with 12 of the top 25 theme parks by attendance. It’s not uncommon for enthusiasts to travel internationally these days, but most seem to travel to Europe, not Asia. Most of the Asian parks in the top 10 are in Japan including #3 Universal Studios Japan, #4 Tokyo Disneyland and #7 Tokyo DisneySea, but you’ll also find several parks in China and two in South Korea. However, this report shows that if you’ve never visited a park in Asia you’re missing almost half of the top 25 parks in the world.

Continue reading →

Fort Collins Old Town was the Inspiration for Disney Main Street USA

/ printingddd / Leave a comment

Did you know that a town in Colorado served as the model for Disneyland’s (and the Magic Kingdom’s) Main Street USA? Fort Collins proudly embraces this heritage and it’s all because of Imagineer Harper Goff who was born in Fort Collins. Main Street USA also draws inspiration from Walt Disney’s hometown, Marceline, Missouri but the similarities to Fort Collins are uncanny. In fact records show that Goff went back to Fort Collins in the 1950’s explicitly for the purpose of building Main Street USA in the future Disneyland park. You can see in the pictures above many commonalities from the trolley all the way down to the look of the street lights.

Continue reading →

Teachers, Healthcare Workers, Military Personnel, Veterans and First Responders Get Free Six Flags Over Georgia Tickets as Local Heroes

/ printingddd / Leave a comment

If you’re a teacher, work in healthcare, are in in the military, a veterans or a first responder you can get a free ticket this month (November 2025) to Six Flags Over Georgia as part of their DC Heroes Fest. These local heroes may also purchase up to six (6) friends and family tickets for $19.99 each. Free and discounted tickets can be can be obtained in person on the day of their visit with Applicable ID. During DC Heroes Fest guests can enjoy special live performances, face painting, arts and crafts, photo opportunities, exclusive character meet-and-greets and their favorite rides. All the information and rules can be found at https://www.sixflags.com/overgeorgia/events/DC-heroes-fest.

The Strange History of Carousels

/ printingddd / 1 Comment
The over 100 year old carousel at Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park (Lake Winnie)
The over 100 year old carousel at Lake Winnepesaukah Amusement Park (Lake Winnie)

The carousel, also known as a merry-go-round, is found in almost every theme park and amusement park. It has a rich history that dates back several centuries, but you might be surprised to learn that prior to being used for entertainment it was used for training for battle! The fact that the most common carousel uses horses is no accident as the carousel’s origins can be traced to medieval jousting traditions in Europe and the Middle East. During this time riders practiced spearing rings while galloping in circles—a game called “carosella,” meaning “little war” in Italian. The term “grab the brass ring”, where riders could grab a ring from a dispenser for a prize (highly unsafe to think about doing today), was based on this practice.

Continue reading →

SeaWorld Orlando Offering “ASL Saturdays” with Sign Language Interpretation of Their Shows

/ printingddd / Leave a comment
SeaWorld Orlando ASL Saturdays Logo
SeaWorld Orlando ASL Saturdays Logo (Courtesy of SeaWorld)

SeaWorld Orlando is now offering ASL Saturdays, occurring on the 1st Saturday of each month, providing American Sign Language (ASL) interpretation services for guests who are Deaf or Hard of Hearing. This is being done in partnership with the American Sign Language Services (ASLS) so guests can enjoy seamless access to SeaWorld’s popular shows and attractions with live ASL interpreters. This would include exciting animal presentations or the park’s spectacular performances such as their summer Xceleration: Cirque Show.

Continue reading →

5K Hero Run & Walk at Six Flags Over Georgia on November 22, 2025 as part of DC Heroes Fest

/ printingddd / Leave a comment
DC Heroes Fest Logo for Six Flags Over Georgia
DC Heroes Fest Logo for Six Flags Over Georgia (Courtesy of Six Flags)

Six Flags Over Georgia is hosting a 5k on November 22, 2025 as part of its new DC Heroes Fest event. Runners will take their mark for a 9 a.m. start as they proceed through and around Six Flags Over Georgia, giving participants exclusive access and viewpoints of the park and their favorite attractions. Registration for runners is $35, and spectator tickets are also available for $33. Both 5k ticket types include parking, admission and early ride time on attractions in the GOTHAM CITY™ section of the park. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Cobb Police Athletic League, whose mission is to make a positive difference in the lives of young people ages 4-18.

Continue reading →

SEAQuest: Legends of the Deep Suspended Dark Ride Coming to SeaWorld Orlando in 2026

/ printingddd / Leave a comment
Vekoma suspended dark ride concept art
Vekoma suspended dark ride concept art (courtesy of Vekoma)

SeaWorld has announced a new indoor ride for the second consecutive year with the suspended dark ride, SEAQuest: Legends of the Deep. This is not a suspended coaster, but a powered suspended dark ride. Based on permits and activity at the park it appears to be headed to a parking lot behind the Ports of Call ballroom near Expedition Odyssey. The ride will be themed to a submarine taking an underwater voyage.

Continue reading →